Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Trump’s About-Face On Abortion: ‘The Laws Are Set’

The Republican front-runner's positions on abortion have been in the spotlight since he said if it were banned, women seeking out the procedure should be punished. In a "Face the Nation" interview Sunday, he said, "The laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way." A spokeswoman later clarified that he meant abortion laws won't change until he's president.

The Associated Press:
Trump Now Says Abortion Laws Should Be Left As Is
Donald Trump now says abortion laws should not be changed. It's a pendulum swing for the Republican presidential contender on an issue that's caused him grief since he said earlier in the week there should be "some form of punishment" for women who get abortions if the procedure is outlawed. Now he's shifted anew, in a "Face The Nation" interview being broadcast Sunday. In an excerpt broadcast Friday on "CBS Evening News," Trump said about abortion: "The laws are set. And I think we have to leave it that way." He declined several times to say whether he thinks abortion is murder. "I have my opinions on it, but I'd rather not comment on it," he said. Asked if he disagrees with those who consider the procedure to be murder, he said, "No, I don't disagree with it." (4/2)

The Washington Post:
Donald Trump On Abortions: ‘I Would Have Rather Answered It In A Different Manner’
Donald Trump has come under fire for just about every answer he gave on abortion in the past week. On Sunday, Trump expressed regret for his initial remarks about punishing women who receive abortions if the procedure were banned, and he said he corrected his statements so that his view is "acceptable to everybody." ... On "Fox News Sunday," Trump said he was answering a "hypothetical" question. "I said the woman because it was asked hypothetically," Trump said. "I also corrected it, and I made it very much so that I think -- everybody -- it's acceptable now for everybody." (Lee, 4/3)

The Washington Post:
Donald Trump Took 5 Different Positions On Abortion In 3 Days
You can see the exact moment last week that Donald Trump made up his mind on whether women would face criminal punishment once he signed new restrictions into law. He is at a town hall with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, and, after Matthews badgers him for a while, he finally answers the question. “The answer is ... that,” Trump says, eyes looking to the side in thought, “there has to be some form of punishment.” He punctuates “has” with a hand gesture. Done. Final. But as it turns out — and as it has turned out repeatedly over the course of his life — that was not, in fact, Trump’s final position on the subject. (Bump, 4/3)

Politico:
Trump Abortion Comments Reverberate On Social Media
Donald Trump’s comments on abortion this week attracted a lot of attention on social media — but not from the candidate himself. On Wednesday Trump told MSNBC’s Chris Matthews that he believes there should be some sort of punishment for women who get abortions if the practice were illegal. Within a few hours, Trump released follow-up statements walking back the initial comments, but his words reverberated online. (Gold, 4/2)

In other 2016 election news, scientists and advocates are drawing distinctions between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on stem cell research —

The Associated Press:
Clinton, Sanders Had Opposing Views On Biomedical Research
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were on opposing sides of certain types of biomedical research while they served in Congress, differences that have gained notice by scientists and advocates on the forefront of stem cell research. Clinton has pointed to her advocacy for groundbreaking medical research, from her push for more dollars as a New York senator for the National Institutes of Health to her long support for stem cell research that could eventually lead to regenerative medicine. Sanders, a Vermont senator, has supported stem cell research in the Senate. But advocates within the scientific community cite his voting record in the early 2000s in the House when he repeatedly supported a ban on all forms of human cloning, including one called therapeutic cloning intended to create customized cells to treat disease. (4/2)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.